


Only Thing Going On

by ObscureReference



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-13
Updated: 2016-01-13
Packaged: 2018-05-13 19:55:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5715133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ObscureReference/pseuds/ObscureReference
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He certainly did not expect to flip channels and see some reporter interviewing fucking Nursey, ex-boyfriend extraordinaire, on live TV.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Only Thing Going On

**Author's Note:**

> This is something short that I've worked on sporadically for the past few weeks that I would normally post over at my tumblr, but I thought "Why not" this time. Normally stuff this short stays over there. Title comes from Ugh! by the 1975 because I was listening to it today.
> 
> Based off the prompt: "“you’re famous and just got asked if you were ever in love this should be good– WAIT WHAT” au" from http://bridgetandbell.tumblr.com/post/129828512806/reunited-aus

When Dex had gotten home that evening, he wanted to grab some ice cream from the kitchen and crash on the couch. He expected  to watch some garbage TV, browse the web for a little while, and let the joy of sleeping ease the burn in his eyes that came from looking at computer monitors all day. He certainly did not expect to flip channels and see some reporter interviewing fucking _Nursey_ , ex-boyfriend extraordinaire, on live fucking TV.

 _"So,_ " the reporter started. The words _Exclusive_ _Hannah Lehman Interview with Derek Nurse!_ ran across the bottom of the screen. Dex assumed that was the interviewer's name. _"Your recent song 'Autumn' has been on the top ten chart for the past five weeks. How do you feel about that?"_

Hannah turned her microphone over to Nursey while Dex rolled his eyes."Autumn." Nursey was a poet at heart, and Dex could almost guarantee he'd written some nature song about the seasons. Predictable.

 _"I feel pretty good about it,"_ Nursey answered on the television. _"You never really expect the things you make to do as well as they do, and it's always very encouraging when things like this happen."_

Hannah smiled at him, teeth like pearls. _"Do you think it'll reach number one?"_

Nursey chuckled.

_"I can only hope."_

Dex stared. Nursey looked... good. Really good, actually, in his dumb tailored suit and his thick stubble that he'd probably been too lazy to shave this morning. Dex bet all the girls fell for it. He rolled his eyes and didn't think about how once upon a time _he_ had fallen for it.

 _"I guess we'll just have to see,"_ Hannah replied. _"Now, there have been some rumors surrounding the song. In your song 'Autumn,' you describe someone you love very dearly, but we haven't seen you bring anyone to any shows just yet. Is there a special someone in your life?"_

Oh, Dex thought. That was. Different.

Nursey, cool as ever, smiled back at the camera.

 _"I guess you could say that,"_ he said, flashing a charming and borderline flirty smile, as though his vague answer did anything to hide that there apparently was a 'someone special' in his life.

Dex scowled. He wanted to change the channel or shove his face in one of the couch pillows, but spite kept him frozen. He could watch whatever TV he wanted, and he wouldn't let _Nursey_ , who was a million miles away, change that.

 _"I think that begs the next question then."_ The microphone did nothing to hide the reporter's sly smile. " _Have you ever been in love?"_

For the first time, Dex watched Nursey falter. It was only a brief look of— something that flashed across his face, but Dex noticed, and he was sure the reporter did too.

 _"Well,"_ Nursey said slowly after an unusually long beat of silence. " _I guess the answer to that is yes."_

Hannah the reporter stood up straighter, startled at the honesty. Dex found himself doing the same.

 _"You're in love?"_ The reporter repeated for clarity's sake. This was probably the scoop of a lifetime for her.

 _"Yeah,"_ Nursey said. His smile had turned into something softer. _"I am."_

 _"And will we ever get to meet this special someone?"_ Hannah asked, practically vibrating for an answer.

Nursey shrugged like something heavy sat on his shoulders. He looked.

Dex frowned at the TV. He looked sad.

 _"Probably not,"_ Nursey said. _"Actually, I'm pretty sure they hate me now, so I don't think I'll get to see them again either. But that's what the music's for, you know? For me. And if they ever hear it, for them too."_

It was clear Hannah was just as taken back as Dex. Her wide eyes blinked back at Nursey, and she opened her mouth twice before she managed a response.

 _"Oh. I'm—I'm really sorry to hear that."_ She cleared her throat to recover, turning to the camera. _"Before we return to this interview, here's a quick clip from the music video for Derek Nurse's hit single, 'Autumn.'"_

The interview cut to the clear start of the video. A piano started, slow and soft, and Dex pressed the heel of his palms against his eyes. He was suddenly very thirsty.

So they had dated a few years ago. What of it? Nursey had probably dated lots of people, especially now that he was some new famous singer or whatever. Dex sure as hell wasn't the only one in his life. They hadn't even _been_ in each other's lives for years. Not that Dex regretted that. Not at all.

On screen, prerecorded Nursey started singing about hair like autumn leaves and freckles scattered like stars, and Dex wanted to cover his ears forever. There was no way Dex was the only redhead Nursey had ever met. It didn't mean anything.

He let his hands fall down to his sides and closed his eyes.

The memory came back to him was like a dream. Worn with age, hazy with sleep. He had barely been awake that morning when he'd felt Nursey's breath tickle the back of his neck, heard Nursey mutter, "You remind me of autumn," into his skin. Dex had kept his eyes closed, exhausted.

He thought he had mumbled something along the lines of "Go the fuck to sleep," in return, but he hadn't remained conscious long enough to get it all out. It had been one of their better days.

In the present, Dex swallowed, hard, tracing the crinkled lines of paint in the ceiling with his eyes. The TV buzzed in the background, and the Nursey who was being interviewed droned on and on and on like music.

It meant. It meant.

Dex slumped over on the couch and pressed his face into the cushions.

It meant nothing.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is http://someobscurereference.tumblr.com/ . Feel free to hit me up over there or browse the "my fic" tag.


End file.
